


and the bells are ringin out

by croiagusanam



Series: tumblr prompts and ficlets [3]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Protective Percy Jackson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:34:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28265481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/croiagusanam/pseuds/croiagusanam
Summary: a collection of my holidays related prompts
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Series: tumblr prompts and ficlets [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1958212
Comments: 5
Kudos: 97





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "there’s a storm and omg I’m losing signal are you okay?? hold on let me drive 489432 miles to get you the night before Christmas" with a side of scarf kiss for Annie, Emma, Ayesha and Olivia <3

"I'm despondent, Beth, despondent!" Percy sighs on the other side of the phone and Annabeth hears a quiet whumpf as he falls back onto his bed.

"Despondent, huh? That's a new one — cabin fever have you reading the dictionary?" 

"Actually, Wise Girl, I have been provided with a word of the day calendar in my complimentary 'sorry all the trains and planes are cancelled' hotel room. I've made it all the way through March 15th." The sense of pride in his voice almost overpowers the _despondency._ "Why did you let me come to D.C. for Christmas?"

"If I remember correctly, dear husband, you said 'Annabeth, this sponsorship deal is huge and don't worry, I'll be on a train bright and early on Christmas Eve to come home!' Not that I would've had any objections anyway."

"That was October Percy, babe. October Percy and Christmas Eve Percy are wholly different beasts." She can almost hear the smirk in his voice as she rolls her eyes. "I am sorry though, for leaving you alone on a holiday. Especially with the central heating out."

"It's not your fault, Percy. I've got the space heater to keep me warm, along with my cocoa and blankets. Plus, I've got that lovely fireplace you insisted the house had to have!" She hears him begin to speak and plows ahead. "I'm serious, love. You don't control the weather—" Annabeth is interrupted by an almighty bang as the living room lights, as well as the ones on their tree go out. A glance out the window confirms that power for the whole street is out. She sighs and raises the phone back to her ear. "Sorry, Perce, it looks like the power just blew on the street."

For a moment, all she hears is static, then "—beth… okay?" before a dial tone cuts it all off. She looks down and realizes that her cell signal is gone too. She shivers with annoyance. Actually, no. She shivers because the chill of the New York winter is beginning to seep in now that the space heater is out, too. Looks like she'll be lighting that fire sooner rather than later. She reminds herself to thank Percy for insisting on keeping their wood inside rather than out in the shed. Once the fire is crackling away, she pulls her blankets down onto the floor in front of it, settling in with her book. It isn't long until she is lulled into sleep.

She wakes to the sound of a door slamming. The fire has burned to embers and she searches for her dagger in the dim light before she realises the snow covered figure in the doorway is _Percy._ He's in a heavy overcoat and scarf, lips blue and teeth chattering. Her mind races, dozens of thoughts fighting to escape.

"You're dripping all over the carpet." A classic, truly. "Percy, what on earth are you doing here? Did you drive"—she looks down at her watch—"seven hours?"

"I had to walk the last half hour, the car broke down." The chattering teeth make it difficult to understand him.

"You walked — hold on, the car? Percy, the car has been in the driveway since I dropped you to the train station."

"I was worried, Beth. There was this bang, and then the phone cut off, and you didn't answer the texts or calls and I began to panic so I… I rented one and drove way too fast for the weather, and then the engine gave out so I just got out and started running."

Annabeth jumps to her feet and moves toward him, noticing the blood drying on the cut above his left eye. He notices her glance and reaches up to touch it. "I might've slipped a couple times too."

"Perce…"

"I know… I'm an idiot, I should've known you were gonna be—" She grabs his scarf and pulls him into a kiss, and after a moment of surprise he melts into her. Quite literally, in fact.

"I appreciate it, Percy, even if it was unnecessary," she says, looking him up and down with a mock scowl. "Now lets get you out of those wet clothes and warmed up before you destroy the carpet even more than you already have."

He grabs her then, getting snow all over her pyjamas as he kisses her, laughing into her mouth as her noises of protest quickly fade away.

The lights choose that moment to come back to life, and Annabeth pulls away to look at Percy, damp hair and skin bathed in soft red, green and blue.

"How do you manage to be my favourite gift each year?" she murmurs into his cheek.

"Funny," he replies, "I was just about to ask you the same question."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "YES I BOOBY TRAPPED THE PRESENTS BECAUSE YOU DO THIS EVERY FUCKING YEAR" (though I uh...kinda took it another way) for olivia <3

There are many words and phrases one might use to describe Annabeth Chase. Smart, by her classmates and acquaintances. Wise, by her friends. Utterly terrifying, by her enemies (and many others). Total fucking badass, by her brothers. Beautiful (and many other, potentially unsavoury synonyms of that) by Percy. Patient, however, is not one of those words.

It had started right after they had moved in together. Percy had placed a trio of meticulously wrapped presents under the tree a week before Christmas. Annabeth had spent two days, looking at them sitting there, getting antsier and antsier, until Percy had gone to work and left her alone with them. Annabeth had lasted all of 15 minutes before she had taken a boxcutter to the tape holding the wrapping paper together, carefully unfolding the paper to reveal the gifts inside. She sat in the elation for a few moments, and love for Percy and how well he knew her, before the guilt set in. Percy had found her like that, just sitting and blankly staring at the gifts.

"I'm serious 'beth, don't worry about it, we can just open them early this year," he had said, pulling her up into an embrace.

"And if I do it again next year?"

"Well then I'll have to booby trap them, won't I?"

She had assumed it was a joke, but the following year, when she opened the first box a balloon had shot water into her face. The year after that, an air horn had gone off for a solid 5 minutes until she got fed up and smashed it. And so they had formed their first holiday tradition: Annabeth attempted to secretly open her gifts early while Percy booby trapped them to catch her out. So far, he has won every time.

This year had been no different. Percy had placed his gifts under the tree with a wink before leaping onto the couch and laying his head in her lap. 

"Your move now, love."

A move that proved surprisingly easy to make. Percy appeared to be making himself scarce at all times. Annabeth stayed her hand though. It was too easy, and Annabeth refused to fall for yet another trap. So she waited. She spent days appearing disinterested in the gifts while examining them, eyeing all the ways he had caught her out before while looking out for any potential new routes that could catch her out. By the night of the 23rd, however, she could wait no longer.

Percy had left her with a kiss on the top of her head to 'get an early night.' She wasn't quite sure if she believed him, but at this point, she didn't really care. Two hours after he had disappeared off to bed, she rose and moved to listen at the door. Satisfied at the silence, she knelt at the foot of the tree, carefully pulling the largest box to her. Gingerly, she sliced open the tape and slid the paper down. The box inside was plain cardboard. She lifted open the flaps of the box and frowned: inside was another, smaller wrapped gift. She hastily set upon that one, and discovered yet another box. She was almost upset. This was baffling, but not the trap she had come to expect. 6 boxes later, she arrived at what had to be the last one, based on its size. It was velvet, unlike the previous ones. Surely not… but opening it, she found it empty.

"Sorry love – I decided to keep this one close to me." Annabeth nearly clipped her head on the tree with the speed she leapt and spun, as Percy's voice came from just behind her. How had he made it into the room without her noticing?

Then looked at him – no, looked down at him. He was on knee, and in his hands… in his hands was a beautiful golden ring, inset with a shining green gemstone.

"Perce…"

"Annabeth Chase," he began, voice wavering slightly, "you are –" Annabeth cut him off, grabbing his collar and pulling him up into a kiss.

"Of course I'll marry you Percy," she murmured against his lips, "if you answer me one question."

"Anything."

"What exactly is this year's trap?" He smirked at that.

"Well,  _ Mrs. Jackson, _ I believe you've just been trapped forever with me." He kissed her then, again, and despite all the times he had kissed her before this was different. This tasted like new beginnings.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment if you enjoyed and [follow me on tumblr!](https://thatirishmichael.tumblr.com/)


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